Hurricane Milton Strikes Florida

By Brad Brooks and Leonora LaPeter Anton

FORT PIERCE, Florida/ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) – Hurricane Milton plowed into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after cutting a destructive path across Florida that spawned tornados, killed at least 10 people, and left millions without power. Thankfully, the storm did not trigger the catastrophic surge of seawater that was feared.

Governor Ron DeSantis stated that the state had avoided the "worst-case scenario," although he cautioned that damage was still significant, and flooding remained a concern.

The Tampa Bay area appeared to sidestep the storm surge that led to the most dire warnings. However, barrier islands along the shore south of the city experienced extensive flooding.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas mentioned during a White House briefing that there were reports confirming 10 deaths, mainly due to tornados. He noted that at least 27 twisters touched down in Florida.

In St. Lucie County on Florida's east coast, tornados killed five people, including two in the Spanish Lakes senior-living community, according to county spokesperson Erick Gill.

Evidence of the tornadoes' power was seen with snapped electric poles and overturned trucks. Crystal Coleman, 37, and her 17-year-old daughter took shelter in their bathroom during the storm, describing it as a life-threatening experience.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 3.2 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. Some had been without power for days due to Hurricane Helene's impact just two weeks prior.

Milton damaged the roof of Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium, turning it into a staging area for responders, complete with thousands of cots set up on the field.

In downtown St. Petersburg, onlookers gathered to view a fallen crane that had damaged the Johnson Pope building. Local resident Alberta Momenthy expressed her shock at the sight.

Steven Cole Smith, 71, who rode out the storm in Tampa, recounted the terrifying experience and described his preparations for the storm.

Ken Wood, 58, evacuated his home with his cat Andy after a harrowing experience during Hurricane Helene. They sought refuge in a nearby hotel but later had to turn back.

Despite up to 18 inches of rain leading to potential river flooding, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor stated that levels were manageable thus far.

Most significant damage has stemmed from tornadoes, according to FEMA head Deanne Criswell, who noted the importance of evacuation orders that saved lives.

In Fort Myers, resident Connor Ferin described the instantaneous devastation of his home after a tornado hit.

President Joe Biden, who postponed an overseas trip to monitor Milton, emphasized the need for Congress to address disaster relief funding following the storm.

The storm impacted Florida's west coast as a Category 3 hurricane with top sustained winds of 120 mph (205 kph), having weakened from a previous Category 5 status as it traversed the Gulf of Mexico.